AUSTIN — After earlier being presumed close to extinction, there still appears to be some life in the Big 12.

The future of the conference appeared brighter Saturday after interest from several schools has surfaced about keeping the frazzled conference together.

That's coming as it still appears that Texas A&M is headed to the Southeastern Conference — despite the risk of a potential lawsuit from some Big 12 members.

Several reports indicate that Texas would be willing to share its Tier I revenue provided through the Big 12's television contracts for football to help preserve the conference. That would not affect the $15 million provided each year to the school by the Longhorn Network.

But the key to keeping the Big 12 together still appears to be convincing Oklahoma to stay. The Sooners appeared ready to bolt to the Pac-12 with Oklahoma State in tow for most of the last week.

Even with the recent comments of OU president David Boren saying his school wouldn't be “a wallflower” in a possible realignment scenario, the Sooners may be convinced to stay put after some initial apprehension.

“We just have to tap on the brakes and try to slow down,” a person familiar with the negotiations said. “There is still value in this conference. We all just have to realize that.”

Baylor president Kenneth Starr told the New York Times on Saturday that the he remains “cautiously optimistic” that the Big 12 remains salvageable, despite all the recent turmoil.

“We think the continued strength of the Big 12 is good for our member institutions, good for Baylor and, in the greater sense, good for college athletics,” Starr told the Times. “This is a fluid situation. We think that it's a real possibility the Big 12 will not only survive, but thrive.”

After earlier saying he expected OSU to jump to the Pac-12 with OU, billionaire booster T. Boone Pickens said during the Cowboys' victory over Arizona that he would like to preserve the Big 12. Pickens also said he would be willing to do anything he could to help it survive.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott told reporters before Friday's Arizona State-Missouri game that he would prefer working with a 12-team model rather than working with a 16-team model.

“Our hope is that there are no expansions and all of the conferences that are at 12 stay at 12,” Scott said. “That would be our vote. We're very happy where we're at.”